Billion Dollar Painter by Bettina Gilois

Billion Dollar Painter by Bettina Gilois

The unbelievable true story of artist Thomas Kinkade, self-described Painter of Light, and the dramatic rise--and fall--of his billion-dollar gallery and licensing businessHe was just one man, but Thomas Kinkade ultimately made more money from his art than every other artist in the history of the world combined. His sentimental paintings of babbling brooks, rural churches surrounded by brilliant fall foliage, and idyllic countryside cottages were so popular in the 1990s that it is estimated that one out of every twenty homes in America owned one of his prints. With the help of two partners--a former vacuum-cleaner salesman and an ambitious junior accountant who fancied himself a businessman--Kinkade turned his art into a billion-dollar gallery and licensing business that traded on the New York Stock Exchange before it collapsed in 2006 amid fraud accusations.One part fascinating business story about the rise and demise of a financial empire born out of divine inspiration, one part dramatic biography, Billion Dollar Painter is the account of three nobodies who made it big. One was a man who, despite being a devout Christian who believed his artwork was a spiritual force that could cure the sick and comfort the poor in spirit, could not save his art empire--or himself.G. Eric Kuskey, former colleague of Thomas Kinkade and close friend until the artist's death in 2012, tells Kinkade's story for the first time, from his art's humble beginnings on a sidewalk in Carmel, California, to his five-house compound in Monte Sereno. It's a tale of addiction and grief, of losing control, and ultimately, of the price of our dreams.

G. Eric Kuskey worked intimately with Thomas Kinkade and his company for over fourteen years and remained friends with him until his death. He is currently the co-founder and owner of a Los Angeles-based agency representing celebrity and contemporary consumer brands.Bettina Gilois has won the Humanitas Prize, and Black Reels Best Screenplay for Glory Road. She has written for Jerry Bruckheimer, and in addition to writing books and screenplays, she blogs about art and life for the Huffington Post.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781602862449
ISBN 10	1602862443
Title	Billion Dollar Painter
Author	Bettina Gilois
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Weinstein Books
Year published	2014-09-09
Number of pages	296
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.